Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I’m a self-published author with nine (9!) self-published books. I really love writing mysteries, so that’s the genre I’m in right now but who knows what could be next? When I’m not writing, I’m traveling or dedicating myself fully to “dog-mom” status. I have three rescue pups, all equally hungry for love and attention.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
The latest is Passion, Chaos & Peanut Butter Fudge. It’s another book in the Marian Moyer series—her stories just never end! SHe’s a fun character that way.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
Not really. I need absolute silence to write which can be hard to find. But I don’t have any dance moves that get me in the writing mood. Not that it’s a bad idea. I may implement that later.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
Jane Green, Carole Matthews, and Jojo Moyes are my favorites. I also love Janet Evanovich, Jodi Picoult and Liane Moriarty.
What are you working on now?
Right now i’m actually working on a Women’s Fiction. It is very different from my usual mystery style. About halfway through I realized I was going to have to keep moving the plot forward without any help from shady characters, weird evidence, etc.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
At this point, a lot of my sales depend on the building blocks I’ve been putting into place the last four years. Having a website I could drive people to certainly helps. eNewsletter. Social media. A lot of the usual suspects.
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Experiment! What works for one book doesn’t always work for another one. Playing around with your marketing, taking risks, and trying new things is the key to growing yourself as an author.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
Spend money to make money. It’s hard, especially when you’re first starting out, but sometimes throwing money at things if you have the budget goes a lot further than spending hours of time trying to figure something out.
What are you reading now?
I just finished Liane Moriarty’s The Husband’s Secret. Now I’m in the mood for a biography so I’ll have to see what’s on my shelf. I have several waiting to be cracked open.
What’s next for you as a writer?
I just launched Writerlust.com which is a website filled with writing and marketing tips and tricks for self-published authors. That will take up a lot of time. Once I finish the Women’s Fiction, I actually have a non-fiction on my plate that will be different but exciting.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
I would read anything by Jojo Moyes 100 times. I’d probably also bring something about The Kennedy’s. I’d bring a business-minded book and I’d round it out with a historical fiction.
Author Websites and Profiles
Allison Janda Website
Allison Janda Amazon Profile
Allison Janda’s Social Media Links
Goodreads Profile
Facebook Profile
Twitter Account